S+ART

Bigger and Bolder than Ever

 
 Barbara Kruger, Untitled (No), from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.

 

  

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Longer), from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.

 

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Heard) from the Untitled Portfolio, 1985, photo-offset lithograph and serigraph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase.

 

For those of you familiar with artist Barbara Kruger, you may already know the powerful effect of the large scale, bold language and conflicting messages consistent in her works. The past exhibit, Multiplicity at The Smithsonian American Art Museum featured Kruger’s piece Untitled, (We will no longer be seen and not heard) among other contemporary prints. In this work, Kruger took the text “We will no longer be seen and not heard” and composes 9 individual prints which come together as one visually stimulating piece. Kruger creates an unavoidable, overwhelming presence in her works by enlarging images and text as well as addressing broader issues of democracy, gender, power and belief.

If you missed Kruger’s piece in the Multiplicity exhibit, have no fear, for another loud, large and provoking installation of hers will soon be on display at The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Coming to the museum in summer 2012, Barbara Kruger: Belief + Doubt will take over the entire space of the Hirshorn’s lower level lobby. Literally, the entire space. This site-specific installation will cover the walls, floors, escalator sides and bookstore, using text printed white vinyl letters against fields of black and red. So, there’s no escaping the mass messages of this work. The title of the installation, “Belief + Doubt” came from Kruger’s interest of introducing thoughts of doubt to the public. These doubts come in form of big bold open-ended questions like “WHO IS BEYOND THE LAW? WHO IS FREE TO CHOOSE? WHO SPEAKS? WHO IS SILENT?” Kruger is exploring several themes that affect a whole range of viewers, from the individual, the museum, and representatively, the country. Kruger is blatantly suggesting that these questions should not be ignored and from the looks of the new installation, it seems that Kruger has successfully captured our attention.   

Want to see more? Check out past exhibits of Kruger’s:

http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/multiplicity

http://whitney.org/WhitneyOnSite/Kruger

http://spruethmagers.net/exhibitions/248@@overview

http://www.moca.org/pc/viewArtWork.php?id=35

http://hammer.ucla.edu/newsblogs/?tag=barbara-kruger

Enjoy! 

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~Margaret McClung

Bay Area Artists: Diebenkorn's Expression

           
Richard Diebenkorn, Man and Woman in a Large Room, 1957, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Foundation, 1966.

 

Not that I have a particular favorite among the Bay Area Figurative Artists, but I do think the vast range of works by Richard Diebenkorn are worth discussing. Diebenkorn, like many artists of the time, went back and forth between subjects, from figure painting in the mid 1950s to abstraction paintings of landscapes in 1967. Throughout his career, Diebenkorn always stayed true to his belief of rendering representational forms and traditional values like beauty, harmony and order. Diebenkorn often cited Henri Matisse as inspiration, mimicking his lush color, use of pattern, window panes, and interest in the contrast of indoor with outdoor light.

In his figurative works, Diebenkorn liked to paint figures in an austere setting, with defined geometric shapes and flat compositions. Similar in style to Bay Area Artists, Elmer Bischoff and David Park, Diebenkorn carried on this new approach to figurative painting. Then, Diebenkorn switched his focus to landscapes, where the same elements of design were utilized but expanded. He painted in flat plains of color, drawing interest in horizontal-vertical grids, architecture and nature.

 

“I want a painting to be difficult to do. The more obstacles, obstructions, problems, the better” ~ Richard Diebenkorn

 

 

Richard Diebenkorn, Ocean Park #111, 1978, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Museum purchase, 1979.

 

 

Richard Diebenkorn, Ocean Park, No. 6, 1968, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Arthur J. Levin in memory of his beloved wife Edith.

 

Diebenkorn dedicated much of his career to painting these abstract expressionist landscapes. After he moved to Ocean Park, Southern California in 1966, he began his large series, “Ocean Park”. This series spanned two decades of the artist’s life, and included 145 paintings and 500 works on paper. “Ocean Park” illustrates the connection between place and painting, but for Diebenkorn it was more about discovering a new geometry and palette in his work, thus giving the faintest real- world references.

I hope you have the chance to see at least one of Diebenkorn’s paintings. When viewed up close, you can make out the activity of the brush, translucency and texture of the paint. You really gain a sense of Diebenkorn’s energy and passion for painting. Here are some Museums to look into:

For those of you that may have the opportunity to venture to the west coast, the Orange County Museum of Art currently presents, Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series (through May 27, 2012). The show features approx. 80 works, consisting of paintings, prints, drawings, and collages. Good news! The traveling exhibit will make its way to The Corcoran Gallery of Art , here in DC on June 30- Sept 23, 2012.  Mark it on your calendars!

You can also visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to see some of Diebenkorn’s works in the museums’ permanent collection. Explore the collections online:

SAAM- http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/

 HMSG- http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/home/#collection=collection-search

Are you a fan of Diebenkorn’s works or would like to learn more? Please let us know by leaving your comments!

 

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 ~Margaret McClung

Bay Area Artists: Capturing the Figure

      
David Park, Woman with Red Mouth, 1954-55, Oil on Canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Edith S. and Arthur J. Levin.

From past and present art movements, it is more common than not to see friendships develop among artists seeking a similar concentration and challenge in their art. One tightly bound circle of friends emerged in San Francisco, CA in the 1950’s. Sparked by leader David Park , artists Elmer Bischoff, Richard Diebenkorn, Nathan Oliveira, Paul Wonner, Joan Brown  and Theophilus Brown came to be recognized through their art as the Bay Area Figurative artists.

The Bay Area Artists sprung up during a time when the art scene in New York City was on the rise and the Abstract Expressionist style was being embraced by many recognizable painters such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. These San Francisco based artists separated themselves apart from the east coast by joining forces and manipulating the idea of Abstract Expressionism with shallow pictorial space, candid brushwork, and a different figurative style.

Leader of the pack, David Park, christened the Bay Area Figurative Art movement in a 1951 exhibit with his painting, "Kids on Bikes", which was awarded a prize and admired for it’s exaggerated texture and success in capturing the child’s apathetic expression. Later in his career, Park was recognized for his portraits of anonymous figures, as seen above in his painting, Woman with Red Mouth. Following in Parks footsteps was Elmer Bischoff, the next artist to place great emphasis on gestural brushstrokes and contrasts of dark and light in his rendering of the figure. Bischoff commented on his work, that he “wanted to create a world and to create people in that world who are more timeless”.

  

Elmer Bischoff, Two Bathers, 1960, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

 As you may have already detected, I am a huge fan of the Bay Area artists, specifically of Bischoff’s work.  His painting, Two Bathers, which is currently on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is vividly expressive with a dominating cool vs. warm color palette and thick clusters of brushstrokes. Bischoff, like the other artists of this movement wanted to keep landscapes and figures referential but distinctly expressive and unproven with the suggestion of movement, color and space.

Tune in next time, for another Bay Area Art blog on the rendering of landscapes.

Feeling inspired? Let us know by leaving your comments!



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~Margaret McClung

 

Angela's Post: Emotions and Photos

A misunderstanding with a friend recently made me start to look closer at how my emotions affect my photography and how I use my camera to help work through them.  I wish I could say that I start out with this intent, but it’s only through patterns, later, that I begin to see an underlying theme and piece together how it relates to a problem or feeling that’s bothering me.

Wanting to understand this process, and if others work through similar methods, I asked a few photo friends if they could share some insight into their minds, feelings, and photography.  Turns out, we all use photography as a form of escapism at times, though we tend to go about it a little differently.

Photo by Angela Kleis

Some people face them head-on.  When she’s stressed or upset, Kerrin Kastorf retreats to nature, animals, flowers…you know, the pretty stuff.  “I don't always post those photos because I don't think people will have the same reaction to them that I do and they feel almost too personal to post.  Nature shots feel safe and reassuring, a reminder that no matter what is going on in my life there are some fundamental things that never change.  It's calming to walk around, even in the backyard, and take photos of a butterfly or bumblebee feeding on flowers and more to just watch them go about their daily business of living.  It makes me realize that while my issues seem to be a matter of life and death they really aren't while for the butterfly and the bee it is and yet they take it in stride as what they have to do.”

Photo by Kerrin Kastorf

Erin McCann, on the other hand, approaches her feelings in a way similar to mine: it sneaks up after-the-fact and smacks us in the face.  “Most of the time, themes in my photos emerge after I've shot them, often months later when I'm just paging through what I've posted; something clicks in my head, and I'll put two and two together and realize, "Oh, THAT'S why I shot so many couples" (because I'd been single for a while and wasn't sure how I felt about that), or "Oh, THAT'S why I like to blur my photos to the point of being barely recognizable shapes" (because that's how I see the world before I put my contacts in).  After the fact, when confronted with a stack of images that all say the same thing, it's easy to pick out the patterns and reverse engineer the emotion.”  But, it’s not unheard of her to go out with a specific goal, to shoot strangers, for example.  “In these instances, the creation of the images lifts my mood and makes me happier than I would be without photography in my life.”

Photo by Erin McCann

Another photographer who uses their camera as an escape is Yonas Hassen.  “I can't say that I have any particularly specific emotions that I pour into my photography from my personal life.  I will say, though, that when I'm out and about photographing, I'm thinking of nothing else.  I try to be completely absorbed by my environment, always looking and listening, and my sense of self is minimized.  Does that make sense?  I guess one could say that if I'm having a bad "emotional" day, the perfect escape is to leave my place with camera in hand.”

Photo by Yonas Hassen

Finally, keep in mind how emotions influence the subject.  When Jim Darling’s feeling blue, he puts his camera down.  “If I'm off my game personality-wise it affects the way I approach someone for a street portrait and ultimately results in either no photo, or one that doesn't quite thrill me.”  Though, I guess I can understand that, from someone who generally approaches strangers on the street and asks them to pose for an impromptu portrait session.  If someone with an angry face stopped me and asked me to smile, I might feel a little funny, myself.

Photo by Jim Darling

 

~ Angela

All About Pastels: Wolf Kahn's Captivating Colors

“People mistakenly think that art is about nature, or about an artist's feelings about nature. It is instead a path of enlightenment and pleasure, one of many paths, where nature and the artist's feelings are merely raw material.”~ Wolf Kahn

 

               
     Wolf Kahn, Aura, 2005, Screenprint. The Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wolf Kahn, My Barn on a Summer Night, 1982. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Mrs. Grace Borgenicht Brandt and Mrs. Margarete Schultz, 1987.    

  

I have been attending a pastel class, here at The Smithsonian Associates  and one of the main influences has been the work of Wolf Kahn. I am entranced by the rich and expressive quality of his use of color. When I look at the pieces, Aura and My Barn on a Summer Night, or any of his works for that matter, I am awe-struck. I find that it is no easy task to capture the brilliant hues of color, like Kahn successfully does.

The celebrated colorist, Wolf Kahn, was born in Germany in 1927. Kahn came to the US in 1940, where he began his career and studies as an artist. Here, he studied and was an assistant under the abstract expressionist, Hans Hofmann . In Aura, and as seen in many of his other landscapes, Kahn captures the essence of nature in his sublime use of color. Kahn creates a horizontal distraction and tension of warm vs. cool colors in My Barn on a Summer Night. Kahn’s unique style has transpired into a fusion of expressive spontaneity that we see from colorists like, Henri Matisse, Mark Rothko  and from his mentor, Hans Hofmann. Kahn continues to produce works today and has regularly been featured at galleries and museums across the US. You are not far from the pieces featured in this article. Both works are displayed here in Washington, DC, at the Hirshhorn Museum and The S. Dillion Ripley Center.

Who Knows? Maybe, by the end of my pastel class I will have a colorful, Kahn inspired picture to feature here!

~ Margaret McClung

 

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A Misconception in the Art World

Art has always had certain stigmas that go along with it. Usually these taboos surround the mystique of the artist. This idea of boundless creativity being a mysterious gift is false. Sure, natural talent helps; however, it takes a lot of hard work in order to channel that talent into the production of art. This creates a pitfall that separates artists from society at a fundamental level.

 First, artists cannot be put on schedules. You cannot expect to tell a painter to paint 12 paintings in a certain amount of time and achieve positive results. This misconception of artists being whimsical and lazy is not as obtuse a concept as many make it out to be. Artists require a great deal of time to manifest ideas. The idea of true creative originality is what drives many artists to madness. Because not only are artists expected to come up with ideas but they cannot be like anything before it. Sure in the business world there are many things that one must solve in order to be successful like for example, how to make more profit in the next quarter. However, a solution can be reached by researching how other companies achieve greater revenue or one can completely model there company’s business plan off of another. Yet, artists cannot simply copy and sample. They are expected to be original! To define our cultural zeitgeist! Artists have a hard time doing this in society due to falling into the loophole of funding cuts and a lack of understanding of the artists needs time and time again. This is what resulted in the creation and the culture of the “art world.” The separation of cultures and the misinterpretation of each has resulted in pushing them further and further apart. Now society views the art world with feelings confusion and the art world shocks the masses to hopefully be heard.  This issue will almost always be valid as long as these two ideologies continue to diverge.  

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~Griffin Baker

Originality

Graphic by Griffin Baker

Originality is one of those things that can seem so mysterious in the art world. In fact striving for true organic originality is enough to make an artist go absolutely mad. It is also something that can create a lot of legal trouble for artists. However, what is original?

The word original implies the beginning, the first, the one. This creates a curious dilemma. For example, printmakers edition their prints which means, there are 12 originals but really, the first one that you ran through the press is the original or is it the first proof that went through? The situation gets sticky rather quickly. Or for example, photos of artwork off the internet. The original is in the museum and the picture is online but, if you take it off the internet and adjust, say, the contrast in Photoshop and then repost it on a personal website then you are already quite a few levels from the original. Yet, if the picture does not have the proper source noted, it then becomes illegal. The idea of originality and the debacles it creates in the art world is definitely something to be aware of.      

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~Griffin Baker

No Photos Please!

Graphic by Griffin Baker

Something that I have become aware of when it comes to reviewing exhibitions is that it is nearly impossible to take photos. In museums, unless the work is in their permanent collection it cannot be photographed. I find this to be frustrating because often times what I want to see or document are the artworks in traveling exhibitions. I mean, if I can see it anytime at the museum, then why bother with the pictures? The whole lure of a photograph is to catch a moment in time, or in this case an exhibition, before it passes. Most recently I was dealing with this issue with some of the temporary exhibits around the Mall that showcased work by Andy Warhol. I just could not help but notice the irony.

As known by many art enthusiasts out there, Andy Warhol loved the media. In fact, there is an exhibition right now at the National Gallery of Art that is all about it. Warhol also spent a great deal of his time working to break down the boundaries that we have regarding copywriting, commercializing, and originality. The idea that you cannot take pictures of his work flies in the face of Warhol’s spirit. Most of his work is manipulating photos, copying labels, and breaking down clichéd images. I understand the need to protect the rights of an artwork. However, I feel that the way the artwork is treated should speak for the artist’s intentions rather than hypocritically destroying them.

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~Griffin Baker

Quote


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pyrrole_Red_Dab.JPG

 

“It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.”

 

~Jackson Pollock

Early Photojournalism

With the deaths of photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros last week while covering the conflict in Misrata, Libya, I began thinking about the photographers and journalists who report from the front lines of battle and how this important role has evolved with technology.

I was born in the 1970’s during the Vietnam War and was exposed daily to the evening world news reports. My earliest distinct memories of war and conflict were from Tom Brokaw of Nicaragua, Beirut, and the Iran-Iraq War - far-away places I barely knew anything about - with pictures and video clips of fighting that left me both confused (“guerrilla fighters” sounds exactly like “gorilla fighters”) and fascinated. I would scan the Richmond News Leader every night to find the stories I heard from the news and study every detail of each photograph, even though I didn’t understand the reasons for the fighting to begin with.

After last week, I started to think more about the photojournalists who are often embedded with troops to document and report from areas of conflict and how far back photographs of war and fighting go. I fell into a rabbit hole and discovered a lot of interesting facts. First, I want to focus on the challenges wartime photographers faced, particularly with regard to processing.

The first photographs of war were daguerreotypes taken during the Mexican-American War by an unnamed photographer in 1847. Considering this process only predates the war by a few years, and that each unique positive produced was made on the spot, exposing the photographer to the same conditions as those being photographed, looking at these images provides a lot of information that connects us to those events in a very personal way. For example, these one-of-a-kind images are the actual photographs handled by the photographer in the same conditions that can be observed in the photograph.

The American Civil War in the 1860’s provided photographic challenges including development of the images on the battlefield as well as danger during times of intense fighting. Photographers often worked in pairs, one to set up the camera while the other mixed chemicals and prepared the plate. Once exposed, the plate was taken to the darkroom wagon for processing. Being glass, these final images were very fragile – that they survived wartime conditions was pretty amazing.

 

 Cold Harbor, Va., Photographer's wagon and tent, Between 1860 and 1865; Selected Civil War Photographs Collection, The Library of Congress.

 

Don’t forget to consider that the cameras of the time were incapable of zoom. This required the photographer to approach the subject at close range. Due to the danger, photographers sometimes recreated the battle scenes, which included arranging or moving bodies – a controversial aspect raising questions of authenticity.

The use of a gelatin substrate transformed the process from wet to dry plates, and later to our modern-day roll and sheet film, providing more freedom to photographers, as well as advancements in camera technology.

The images produced during these times sent the reality of war home to those living far from the battlefields and serves as a documentary of the ways in which the people, and the fighting, has both changed and stayed constant.

-Angela-